A 14-year-old boy who ‘was on his way to school’ has died following a ‘terrifying’ sword rampage in east London this morning. 

Police scrambled to Hainault, in east London, following reports that a van had rammed into a home just before a knifeman started prowling the streets.

He then attacked two officers and passersby before being tasered and arrested in a bloody scuffle in front of horrified residents who heard ‘piercing screams’. 

The injured officers were rushed to hospital with ‘serious’ injuries. Two members of the public were also treated following the horror rampage that unfolded. 

Horrifying footage posted on social media appears to show a knife-wielding suspect wearing a yellow hoodie as he crouched beside homes with a machete.

Locals told MailOnline they saw a man ‘covered in blood’ outside their homes in the Thurlow Gardens area.

Daniel Garfinkle, who lives outside the Tube station, said: ‘I woke up at 7am to lots of shouting. There was a guy outside covered in blood, near the station and outside my home.

‘Police were trying to calm down the man who carried out the stabbing. But he went towards the station. He kept shouting.’

A neighbour from nearby Laing Close, who witnessed the attacks said they could ‘not stop envisioning the boy’s face’.

James Fernando, 39, said the suspect had asked one of his neighbours to ‘take the telephone from him to tell whoever was on the phone his location’.

He said: ‘Within two seconds after that she’s realised something isn’t right, started running and he’s pulled a samurai sword from the back of his trouser.

‘She’s shouted to the other neighbour – a Nigerian boy who was on his way to school.

‘As he’s turned around, he’s struck him on the face. 

‘It’s quite traumatising now. I can’t stop envisioning the boy’s face.’

Gana Ignat lives in Andrew Close, across the road from where the attack happened, and witnessed a man leaving the property covered in blood as police arrived. 

She told MailOnline: ‘I saw something happen outside and heard screams, I didn’t understand what had happened and thought maybe it was a child. 

‘My daughter came into my room and said ‘mum, mum something is happening outside’.

‘I went outside and the police shouted ‘no, no please go back in your house’ because he is dead [check this].

‘I went back into the house, on the second floor, and I saw through the window a man in a yellow hoody running quickly through the car park outside, though a garden and past another house.

‘After a few minutes another lady came outside and was frightened and shouting ‘police, police, ambulance’ because he was in the house.

‘The husband or brother maybe, I don’t know, went outside and his hand and arm were covered in blood.

‘I saw a woman down on the floor but I couldn’t see what had happened to her because of all of the police and ambulances. And then there was the other man covered in blood.

‘I saw the man running away and after that I don’t know, I saw all the police and a helicopter.’

Another local resident described hearing screaming and shouting early on Tuesday before seeing police cordoning off a nearby road. 

New North Road resident Ray Leigh Mason, 44, said ‘I heard a shout, something along the lines of ‘there’s nothing you can do mate’, then screaming.

‘The shouting must’ve been around 06.50am and at the time of it occurring, I wrongly assumed it was neighbours arguing, which quite often happens at all hours.

‘I should’ve been up earlier and likely would be outside as it happened, but I stayed in bed an extra 15 minutes.

‘I looked out of the window to see the police arriving and cordoning off the road. I was told to stay inside, which I did for some time. I then needed to leave for work but with the station closed, I was escorted away down New North Road and needed to walk to Fairlop station.’

A resident in Thurlow Gardens, who wished to remain anonymous, said the attacker was tasered in his garden.

They said the attacker jumped over the fence before being held down by police, and the householder had submitted CCTV to the authorities.

The resident’s neighbour, who also wanted to remain anonymous, witnessed the arrest, saying: ‘I heard police sirens and then the car stopped here for three seconds, which was a bit odd. I opened the door and I could see armed police officers.

‘I saw a gentleman, a white guy, running, being chased by the police.

‘He went into that driveway and he was being tasered, being told to stop, then he jumped into that other neighbour’s driveway there.

‘He was being tasered, went to the floor with all the armed police officers around and he was subdued there for half an hour.’

Metropolitan Police confirmed in a statement this afternoon that the 14-year-old boy died in hospital and that the two officers require surgery for serious injuries.

The police have said that they do not believe the incident is currently terror related. 

Describing the arrest, Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell  said the suspect had been tasered at the scene and arrested 22 minutes after the first call to police was made.

He said: ‘A 36-year-old is currently in custody. He was tasered here at the scene and arrested 22 minutes after the first call was made to police shortly before 7am this morning.

‘Two of those members of the public remain in hospital. Thankfully their injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

‘The two Met Police officers are also currently in hospital with stab wounds. Both require surgery and have significant injuries, but we believe at this stage that they were not life threatening.’ 

Reacting to this afternoon’s tragic developments, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: ‘I’m sure I speak for the entire city when I say our thoughts are with this young child and his family, It breaks my heart not only that this child has lost his life, but two members of our emergency services have risked their own safety to make sure others weren’t injured.

‘It shows the danger our police officers face every day and I thank them for their bravery.’

When pushed on whether knife crime had got ‘out of control’ under his premiership, the mayoral candidate said he hadn’t thought about the election since he heard of this morning’s incident and his focus was on those caught up in the event.

 

Another different local told The Sun that he saw a man covered in blood standing by his front door. 

Peter Rollison said: ‘I live in Laing Close and made my way to Hainault Station this morning.

‘There were a lot of police cars around the corner from me. I stopped from a distance to look at all the commotion, then continued with my journey.

‘There was a man in his home with his door open, his hand and arm covered in blood.’

A university law student has also told of told how the ‘Hainault swordsman’ resisted arrest when he was surrounded by police in a quiet residential road.

Evelina Deliu said: ‘I was woken up by loud noise outside my bedroom window. I saw this man in next door garden cowering on the ground by the banana tree.

There were police all around him. He was struggling with them. The police were shouting ‘get down, get down!’ 

‘It took six or seven people to get him down. There was a lady (police officer) with them. 

‘They were trying to tie him up and put him in hand cuffs. But he was moving his legs and trying to get out. 

‘The police were shouting ‘dont resist, don’t resist!’ They had to carry him to the car because he was tied up. 

‘Then the police started picking things up and putting them in evidence bags.’

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Hainault stabbings were ‘shocking’, adding that ‘such violence has no place on our streets’.

Speaking at the Society of Editors conference in central London, he said: ‘I’d like to give my thanks to the emergency teams that are responding and to pay tribute to their bravery.’

Home Secretary James Cleverly said his thoughts are with those ‘affected’ by the horror incident in east London this morning. 

He posted on X: ‘I am being regularly updated about the incident at Hainault Station this morning.

‘My thoughts are with those who have been affected and thank you to the emergency responders I would urge people not to speculate or share footage online and provide relevant information to the police.’

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan added: ‘This must have been a terrifying incident for those concerned.

‘I know the wider community will be feeling shock and alarm. People will want to know what has happened and will we provide more information as soon as we can.’

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: ‘Firefighters were mobilised to assist police and London Ambulance Service colleagues at an incident near Hainault Underground Station.

‘Crews supported London Ambulance Service crews in the provision of immediate emergency care.

‘The Brigade was called at 7.35am and the incident was over for firefighters by 9.24am.

‘Fire crews from Dagenham, Walthamstow, Ilford, Romford, Hainault, East Ham and surrounding fire stations attended the scene.’

Wes Streeting MP posted on X: ‘A critical incident has been declared in Hainault. There are station and road closures in place. 

‘The police, ambulance service and fire brigade are responding. One male detained.

‘I would urge people not to speculate until details are confirmed or post footage on social media.’